The Benefits of Research
by lahmrh
Summary: K/S. Spock finds Kirk bonding with a group of sehlats and discovers that the captain has been researching Vulcan customs as a way of getting closer to him.


Notes: Written for a prompt at the kink meme.

**The Benefits of Research**

Spock has been coming down to the cargo bay at regular intervals since their departure from Horus IV two days ago. They are ferrying supplies to the Vulcan colony, which would be a completely routine mission if their cargo did not currently consist of ten sehlats of various ages as well as the expected seeds and medical supplies.

The sehlats are being moved from a wildlife preserve, and are not overly enthusiastic about being penned in the Enterprise's cargo bay for the duration of the voyage. Spock hopes that his presence might soothe them – he is, after all, the only person on the ship with relevant experience. (He tells himself that the fact that one of them reminds him strongly of his childhood pet has no bearing on his actions.)

He is not particularly surprised to find Kirk in the cargo bay when he arrives – the captain has as much reason as Spock to want to check on their furry passengers. He stops in his tracks, however, when it dawns on him that Kirk is talking to the sehlats. He stares at the scene as Kirk's voice reaches him.

"I'm sure they're going to love you," Kirk is telling the sehlat in front of him – the one, incidentally, that reminds Spock of I-Chaya. "Don't expect them to admit it though. Vulcans like to pretend that they're totally emotionless, but they're not really." He leans in conspiratorially, and Spock takes a few steps forward. "Personally, I think you and your furry friends are just what they need." Kirk reaches out a hand to the sehlat, and Spock instinctively rushes forward. But he stops when, instead of attacking Kirk, the animal merely sniffs him, then stands quietly and allows him to rub its head. A sudden strange warmth flares in Spock's chest at the sight.

It's at that moment that Kirk turns and catches sight of Spock. He flushes and pulls his hand away from the sehlat. "Oh. Uh, hi, Spock. I was just... checking up on the cargo."

"I can see that," Spock replies, allowing his lips to curve upwards slightly. "'The cargo' appears to have become attached to you."

Kirk grins sheepishly as the sehlat nudges at him with its head. "Well, y'know, they're very intelligent creatures."

"Indeed," Spock says. "I did not know you were so fond of animals."

Kirk shrugs. "Not all animals. But I like these." He gives the sehlat another pat. "They kind of remind me of a dog my stepdad used to have; Buster. He was a huge, hairy thing, but he was really smart." He snorts and adds, "Probably smarter than my stepdad. He was my best friend when I was about ten." He looks at Spock. "Did you have any pets as a kid?"

Spock nods. "My family kept a sehlat."

"Like this one?" Kirk asks. "That must've been cool. What was its name?"

"His name was I-Chaya," Spock replies, then adds quietly, "He died when I was a child."

A look of sympathy crosses Kirk's face. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"It was a long time ago," Spock replies. "I have not thought of him for years."

Kirk looks at him for a long moment, then says softly, "I don't think that's true."

Spock frowns. "Explain."

"You've come down here ten times in the past two days." Kirk takes his hand off the sehlat's head and turns to face Spock. "I won't tell anyone, but I think it's for the same reason I come down here."

"And that is?"

Another sehlat wanders over and Kirk reaches out to rub under its chin, carefully avoiding the fangs protruding from either side of its mouth. "Because you like spending time with them."

Spock wants to protest, but he can't deny that there is a grain of truth to Kirk's words. Instead, he lets his gaze fall on where the first sehlat is trying to nudge the second out of the way. It stops when Kirk reaches out so he can stroke them both at once. "I admit to some surprise at your proficiency with the sehlats," Spock says. "They are not traditionally fond of strangers."

Kirk nods. "Yeah, I found that out during my research. But it's all about how you treat them. They're intelligent, and they don't like it when people treat them like dumb beasts. So I didn't." He smiles, and again Spock experiences a strange feeling of warmth. "And then I found out that they really like it when you rub under their chin," Kirk adds. One of the sehlats rumbles an agreement.

"You researched sehlat behaviour?" Spock asks, raising his eyebrows.

"Not specifically," Kirk replies. "I was kind of researching Vulcan stuff in general, and they looked interesting. But I did brush up on it when I found out we were going to be playing host to a herd of them."

"I am not sure ten sehlats constitutes a herd," Spock says, then frowns as the rest of Kirk's words catch up to him. "Why were you researching 'Vulcan stuff' to begin with?"

Kirk glances away, so that he appears to be addressing the sehlats. "Isn't it obvious? I wanted to know more about you."

"Why?"

Kirk's cheeks redden slightly as he glances up at Spock. "Because I _like_ you." He lets his hands fall to his sides and takes a step away from the sehlat pen.

Spock is silent for a moment, trying to determine the meaning behind Kirk's words. He knows Kirk is fond of him; they are friends, after all. But Kirk has stated the words as if they convey some new piece of information. "I do not understand."

Kirk takes a deep breath, then very deliberately holds out his right hand with two fingers extended. Spock looks at him for a moment, mind whirring. "You are aware of the significance of this gesture?" he asks.

Kirk nods, still holding his hand in front of him. "I told you, I've been researching." He swallows and adds, "It's okay if you don't feel the same."

His hand starts to drop and Spock quickly reaches out and touches his own fingers to Kirk's. "I did not say that." He has not considered the idea of a relationship with Kirk before, but the prospect is by no means unpleasant. "Perhaps we could continue this in private?"

Kirk blinks. "I... Yeah, I'd like that."

Spock gestures toward the doorway. "Shall we?"

Kirk grins and turns back to the sehlats. "Sorry, guys, guess I've got plans. We'll come back to see you later, okay?"

As they leave the cargo bay, Kirk leans towards Spock and says, "I hope it doesn't bother you that I volunteered you to come back with me."

"Of course not," Spock replies. "You can tell me more about your research."

Kirk smiles. "You know, of all the stuff I looked at, I didn't imagine sehlats would be what brought us together."

Spock raises an eyebrow in amusement. "As you said, they are very intelligent creatures."


End file.
